The Banana Woman
by meowloudly15
Summary: Max Caulfield sits on a park bench, contemplating her decisions, when she's interrupted by a mysterious stranger from... somewhere else. There really is no rest for the weary, is there? One-shot, in a sense. Choose wisely.
1. Park Bench

Max sat on a park bench in the midafternoon, contemplating her past. It was a past that could be her future, if she so chose. With a simple gesture and an intent to go back, she could return to… was it the limits of her short-term memory? Psychology class had been dull, but the different parts of the memory were one thing that she recalled clearly. Thank God for her long-term memory, she thought to herself.

She chuckled, a simple, soft noise that somehow made her feel happier about everything. The sun's soft light played over her hands, casting dim shadows onto the neatly-trimmed grass. A car honked. As it passed by the traffic light, the sun's reflection danced across its shiny exterior. The world looked bright. The future looked bright.

Max thought about how lucky she was. Arcadia Bay might have been destroyed, but she was still alive. And she had two of the best friends any young lady could ask for, one of whom was… something more? Maybe? But that was an existential crisis for another day. Right now, things were looking up. Life was weird, but it was a good sort of weird.

The future looked bright. And as long as her past stayed past, it would remain that way. She had to keep moving forward.

She never wanted to go back in time again. After the mess that she'd made, it could only do more harm than good. Plus, she didn't feel the need.

With any luck, Max would never need to use her powers. They could just fade away into oblivion for all she cared. There was no sense dwelling on the past. She needed to live in the present.

The back of the bench creaked as Max leaned against it. Despite its instability, it was comfortable. Perhaps somebody else would complain about it being shoddily manufactured, but not her. Imperfections could be perfect in their own way.

She had the faint sense that there was a metaphor afoot.

Max shut her eyes, letting the patterns of light created by the sun and clouds flicker through her eyelids.

Somebody laid a hand on her left arm.

Had she fallen asleep? Had Chloe come to wake her and call her home? Was it a stranger?

Max's eyes jolted open. She glanced to the left.

It was a lady, nobody whom she recognised. No woman that she knew of was bald. No woman that she knew of wore yellow robes and a necklace with a giant eye-like emblem on it.

Max yelped and jolted away. "Aah! Who are you?"

"I am sorry to disturb your sleep."

The bald lady made some weird gestures. She struck Max in the centre of her chest with the heel of her palm. Max was falling, falling, splitting, floating…

Max hovered over her prone form. She glanced at herself.

"W-what…"

The yellow lady (Chloe would have said that she looked like a half-peeled banana) stood in front of her, staring deep into her eyes. "This is an urgent matter, Maxine Caulfield. We have little time. This mission requires a careful use of time. That is why I need you."

Max gaped for a solid ten seconds before finally finding her voice. "Y-you need my… rewind? What?"

The Banana Woman clasped her hands in front of her. "Suffice to say, the fate of the multiverse from which I reside is at stake. You are one of only a handful of people who can help. Please, come with me."

Dozens of questions swirled through Max's head. Multiverse? As in, the multiverse theory that Warren talked about all the time? This lady was from _one_ multiverse? Who was she? How did she know about Max's rewind? Heck, how did she know Max's name? Nobody called her Maxine! Nobody! Who did this woman think she was?

Max stammered out, "W-who are you?"

The Banana Woman answered, "I am the Ancient One, the Master of the Mystic Arts."

Gee, she looked good for being ancient.

Max asked the next question. "Your multiverse? As in, there's more than one?"

"There is, and the omniverse is connected together in a more intricate manner than you could possibly imagine. Now, please come with me. We haven't a moment to spare."

Max blinked and turned around. How could she stall for time?

"I, uh, what about Chloe?"

"She will most assuredly be safe, so long as you assist us."

Max furrowed her brow. "Do you, like, have agents planted at the house or something?"

The Ancient One shook her head, stifling a grin. "This is no time for jokes. I will explain more along the way. Please. You are the best suited to assist us all."

Max froze. On one hand, she was no good at using her time-traveling powers. On the other, she wanted to help other people. But was this Ancient One telling the truth?

* * *

_(X) COMPLY _-_-_ REFUSE (B)_

* * *

**Select the chapter that you want to go to next from the drop-down menu. They both conclude the story.**


	2. (X)

_(X)_

* * *

Max looked around at the world. A shroud of grey was draped over it, and it looked vaguely frozen. What had happened to her? What had this Ancient One done?

"You can rewind time, too?"

So many questions flowed through her mind, but most of them pertained to herself. Could this Ancient One give her answers about how her rewind worked? Where did it come from? Could she train her, so that Max wouldn't hurt anyone else with her decisions?

The Ancient One nodded. "Something like that. I could help you master your power, if you wish. I could teach you how to bend time and how to rejoin timelines, among your other gifts."

Max nodded. "If you need my help - and I do believe you - then yeah, I'm not great at this. Believe me, a lot of stuff took me by surprise, like the photo stuff. So... could you help me, if I help you?"

"Certainly. Time mastery doesn't always come easily."

"Then I'll come with you."

The Ancient One made some more gestures, and Max returned to her body. She sat up on the ground, gasping.

The future looked interesting. Uncertain, but interesting. And life couldn't always be perfect.

The bald lady spun her hand around and opened up a glittering gold portal.

"W-wait," said Max. "Can I tell my friends where I'm going first?"

"I can arrange that you will return back to this moment when we finish. No time will have passed in this multiverse at all. Now, come along."

The Ancient One reached her hand out. Max took it and was pulled off the ground, into the portal.

* * *

**CREDITS**

**Story: meowloudly15**

**Characters: Dontnod and SquareEnix**

**Other Characters: Stan Lee and the MCU People**

**Choices: You**

**Initial Testing and Feedback: JamesSunderlandsPillow, SesquipedalianNumeral, Noemi-Artistries**

**How Much of This Was Made Up On the Spot: Half**

**Am I Going to Write More Chapters?: Nope**

**Memes: Of Course**

**Sponsored by: Viewers Like You**


	3. (B)

_(B)_

* * *

Max shook her head. "No. I can't. I can't do this. I promise you I'm not the hero you need. I screwed up my own timeline really badly, and a lot of people died. I can't promise I wouldn't do the same."

The Ancient One nodded gently. "I know what you did, and it's okay. It's okay to love your friends and family and want to protect them at all costs. It's okay to defy fate. It's okay to fail, or at least to think you did. You're human. No choice will ever be perfect."

Max looked down at the ground. So many blades of grass covered it. "I've come to terms with everything. The past is in the past. But... thanks."

The bald woman sighed. "I can help you control your power. I can teach you how to bend time and how to rejoin timelines, among your other gifts. It's okay to refuse... but know that I swore an oath to never lie."

Max paused, then shook her head. "My rewind power is only going to tempt me. I'd rather not have it. I know what it can do. Plus... I've heard that with great power comes great responsibility. And I'm only 18. I don't want the fate of the universe, or multiverse or whatever, resting on my shoulders."

The Ancient One smiled serenely. "Then go. Live your life. But don't forget what lessons you've learned along the way. I respect your decision. May your future be bright."

"Good luck to you."

The bald lady made some more gestures, and Max rejoined with her body. She sat up on the ground and gasped.

Where had that lady gone?

It didn't matter. Her future looked bright.

* * *

**CREDITS**

**Story: meowloudly15**

**Characters: Dontnod and SquareEnix**

**Other Characters: Stan Lee and the MCU People**

**Choices: You**

**Initial Testing and Feedback: JamesSunderlandsPillow, SesquipedalianNumeral, Noemi-Artistries**

**How Much of This Was Made Up On the Spot: Half**

**Am I Going to Write More Chapters?: Nope**

**Memes: Of Course**

**Sponsored by: Viewers Like You**


End file.
